Anthrax drummer Charlie Benante and Butcher Babies singer Carla Harvey got engaged on Saturday (January 27th) while attending U2’s show at the Sphere in Las Vegas. The two shared the happy news via their respective Instagram accounts.
Benante, who also plays drums in the revamped Pantera lineup, posted pictures of the special moment, including a silhouetted image of the metal couple in the audience as Bono and company performed behind them. Another photo shows Harvey with a ring on her left hand.
“We went to see @u2 and this happened 💍 @carlaharvey,” wrote Benante. “They played ‘All I Want Is You’ … ❤️. Oh yeah, thanks to #bono #theedge #adamclayton #larrymullenjr (even tho he wasn’t there).”
Harvey posted the same images, writing, “It wasn’t a dream, I woke up in Vegas as the future Mrs. Benante 🥹❤️ I love you @charbenante ❤️.”
A number of the couple’s metal peers offered congratulations in the comments, including Gary Holt (Exodus, Slayer), Rex Brown (Pantera), Mike Portnoy (Dream Theater), Doyle (Misfits), and Heidi Shepherd (co-vocalist in Butcher Babies).
Benante and Harvey have been dating for several years. The drummer told Audio Ink Radio in 2021 that the two had known each other from various metal festivals, and that he eventually asked her out. “One day, I was in L.A. making a record, and I hit her up, and I said, ‘You wanna meet around here, go get a coffee or something?’ And, she turned me down. And then I hit her back up a little bit later, and she’s like, ‘Okay, I’ve to gotta go to the art store in that area. Do you wanna come with me? And we ended up going to an art store. And that was it.”
The engagement comes just a handful of days before Benante his the road with Pantera. The metal legends will kick off a month-long headlining North American tour with Lamb of God on February 3rd, and will also support select dates on Metallica’s outing later in the year. Tickets to Pantera’s upcoming shows are available here.
Anthrax, meanwhile, are working on a new album that is expected to be released this year. The thrash icons will also be touring in 2024, including performances at the Welcome to Rockville and Sonic Temple festivals in the United States, and a number of international dates. Pick up tickets to their upcoming gigs here.
See the Instagram posts from Charlie Benante and Carla Harvey below.